Cold but still Family
by Zuutb123
Summary: When a new half vampire girl turns up at the Cullen's house, related to Jasper, will Esme get the young child she has always wished for, or will her special ability and troubled past get them all into deep trouble? Set two years after the Twilight book 'Breaking Dawn' and has all the usual characters and pairings. I only own my own character all the rest belong to Stephanie Meyers!
1. News of a visit

**Thank you** **for reading this book! Any reviews, about anything, are VERY much appreciated! I do not own the Twilight saga, or any off its characters, tha****t honour belongs to Stephanie Meyers. **

**I will indicate the point of view of each section by writing 'POV...' and the name of the character. The POV will be whoever's I think works.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Esme's POV:**

So life was back to calm, more or less like it was before we ever meet Bella. Of course now Bella and Renesmee were with us and I love them dearly with all my heart - after all I have all my children with me now: Rosalie and Emmet, Rosalie was even becoming warmer and Emmet still his care free goofball self. Jasper and Alice, sticking to each other forever and always totally affectionate. Finally Edward, Bella and Renesmee. Living like any other young couple with their adorable little girl - except they are all vampires (or a hybrid like my sweet granddaughter)

I was just sitting in our new modern house, on the edge of Helena City in Northern Montana. I was on the edge of on our smooth white leather sofa (one of them any way) with my head leaning on my husband's, Carlisle's, shoulder. Bella was sitting on the edge of Edward's piano as he's played her favourite song. Rosalie and Emmet were playing with Renesmee in the garden and Alice and Jasper were...well who knows where.

Then silently, Alice and her mate were standing in the doorway. Behind him Emmet and Rosalie stood in the corridor, obviously recently dragged in by a bouncing Alice. Edward stopped playing and he and Bella took a seat opposite us. I presume that Edward had heard the couples thoughts and needed to come over.

"Please can we talk to you all," Jasper said in his signature straight and tall posture, with Alice wrapped like a vine around him. "It's urgent and important."

" Of course Jasper. " Carlisle said and I sat up so Emmet and Rosalie could sit too.

"Well.." Jasper began as he and his mate stood before us all, however it was Alice who finished.

" So it's kinda a long story but here goes, so Jasper's little brother -"

"Thomas" Jasper injected.

"So _Thomas _had an affair with a girl when he was about twenty, so Jazz was about ten years a vampire. That would have been okay, only the girl Thomas had an affair with was not a Texas born farm girl but was instead he had had an affair with a vampire."

"Thomas had very strong powers of persuasion," Jasper had taken over and they seemed to keep swapping over the story seamlessly. "Since he was part of my family. Then she took off quickly and it was only thirty years later as he lay on his death bed he heard about the girl he had the affair with. She had died years ago. Because she was pregnant with my niece.**(*****)** I know I am not meant to but I went to see him, my little brother. He realised what I was and told me to look after his daughter."

"So by then, I had joined up with my Jazzy and we went in search of the hybrid girl. We seached for several years before we found her where she had been living with one of the hidden native Amazonian tribe. It had been alive for forty years and so we thought she would already be grown up. But no...She was barely four years old. "

"As Alice said, she looked barely four. We now suppose that since she was born by the opposite way round Renesmee was. Vampire mother and human father. So it takes her around fifteen years to actually be a year older. "

"So as we all know Renesmee, can jump really high like a vampire, however, my niece in law (but she just prefers to be my niece) , Matilda, can run as fast as a vampire."

" What's more after a few years of staying with us, she wanted to travelling alone to visit the world. So we agreed to each drop a letter in a box in a certain place in northern Canada on the first of January each year, deciding when to meet and talk about what's been happening. "

"So exactly a decade ago last January the letter in the box for us was only half finished so we stayed there a while in case she only left temporarily. But she never can back. We still have gone back to our spot every year but there has been no letter."

" Until this year. Now before I carry on you have to know that Matilda has always considered us her 'home on the move' , and now...she wants to come home. "

The couple had obviously finished their story now and stared at us all in anticipation. Jasper even showed a bit of nervousness on his typically emotionless face. We all just stared at them for a bit before Carlisle said slowly "how old Matilda?"

" About a hundred and fifty years old, however I know what you mean, she is really only ten or eleven. " Jasper answered after a pause of hesitation.

A young girl! I thought about this for a moment, I might actually get a chance to have a child, a daughter of my own! I felt a small smile tug on the corners of my mouth. Clearly Edward had heard that thought of mine and he nodded and whispered in my ear so quietly only I could hear it: "You will make a great mother to her."

In the end of all our many questions Emmet sealed her coming soon by saying "does she like football?" We all burst out laughing, much to his confusion. " What's so funny? "

Alice went blank for a minute or two then said "As it happens Em, I see she _does _actually want to play football."

" Well what you waiting for? " Emmet roared happily, "when's she coming? "

Jasper became serious for a second before saying, "She was nervous that you wouldn't like her so she is coming tomorrow to see Alice and I to discuss her coming as we haven't seen her in a decade."

" Well I think that's settled then, " Carlisle said as he stood up, "We will meet her tomorrow." Emmet looked gleeful and danced around like the four year old he mentally was. Edward smirked slightly as I thought that but said nothing.

But, ruining Emmet's fun, Jasper cleared his throat and looked apprehensive, "Well there is one 'problem'...Matilda has a sort of ability, she can turn invisible - completely for a long time. No one can hear her heart beat, thoughts, emotions or future. However you can feel her and she can choose who sees, hears her ect. "

We were all silent for a minute taking it in then Rosalie of all people says "Who cares in sure we will like her for who she is. I can't wait to see her tomorrow!"

Jasper visibly relaxed and then with a squeal of excitement, I was pulled upstairs with Alice chattering about rooms and which clothes will suit Matilda. In the distance I could hear Bella telling Nessie happily that she was soon to have a cousin more her age. I smiled happily and let myself sunk into the world of Alice's decorating plans.

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*** Some of you reading will tell me that it it's impossible for a vampire to have a baby as their body's cannot change. However I say they can, because Edward's body had to change to allow him to have sex with Bella on their honeymoon. In addition, I never said her stomach got bigger (it didn't) and you will hear more about that in a later chapter.**

**ENJOY!**


	2. Introductions and interrogations

**sorry my first chapter was not very good! The rest will be better I promise! **

**Please review with anything you have to say, it will be greatly appreciated and I will reply!**

**Thank you and enjoy!**

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**Matilda's POV:**

So today was the day, I will see Jazz and Alice for the first time in a decade. I really hope that they don't press on whats been happening over the last ten years. If they do well what should I say? Never mind I won't think about it.

The thing I am most nervous about is meeting the Cullen family - What it they don't like me? They are all so so **so **pretty! I've been sitting in a tree over looking their house for the last half an hour and watched them as they've all assembled in their porch waiting for me to turn up. I'm just annoyed I can't hear them. Curse this human like hearing!

Time to go say hello now I think, Jasper is looking a bit nervous, probably thinking I will disappear on them again, although Alice is optimistic that I will turn up. Of course she is.

So I climb down from my tree and walk up to where they are all standing in a semi circle. Have I mentioned I can turn invisible yet? Well that's what I do, and I've turned invisible for everyone so no one can hear me or see me coming.

Alice and Jazz are on the edge of the semi circle, so stand next to them and stare at the woods like all the other grown ups. I quickly become visible and before my slow beating heart gives me away I talk.

"What are we all waiting for?" I say with a smile. Alice laughed and hugged me whilst spinning in a circle, bouncing happily - she had seen all this coming the moment I became visible obviously! Jazz looked surprised for a moment then calm and collected and gave me a hug in his stiff - ish manner and said "hello Cadet" (his nickname for me). The rest of the Cullens looked completely shocked at first, I suppose just appearing like that _was _a but strange, and the kind looking blond man was the first to recover. However, the big man with dark hair just looked at me open mouthed before the pretty lady with long blond hair pushed it shut for him.

"You must be Matilda." The blond haired man in the middle said, " In Carlisle, this is my wife Esme" Here is gestured at the caramel haired lady who smiled at me. "These are my sons Emmet and Edward. And these are my girls Rosalie, Emmet's mate, and Bella, Edward's mate." He gestured to each of them in then and I nodded once to each of them. "Bella and Edward also have a daughter who is around seven" Carlisle was still talking. "However she is not here right now."

" Please call me Tilda, or Tills or anything. I prefer only to be called Matilda if something is wrong or I'm in trouble! " I said laughing softly and they all joined in.

Once the introductions has been made I felt Esme take my hand, "Come in side, Matilda, you must be worn out after your journey from... from wherever." I followed Esme inside and the others followed us in.

Esme led me to their sitting room and - WOW! Their house was fabulous, with long floor to ceiling windows, luxurious white-gold silk curtains, white and wooden furniture and house accessories like mirrors and vases with flowers in, set at tasteful angles on top of them.

"Here take a seat." Esme showed me on to a modern white leather sofa.

I jumped up quickly and exclaimed hurriedly, "I can't sit down, sorry, I'll get your sofa all dirty!" I don't know why but I felt all stressed and tired, I guess I just wasn't used to such kindness after ...well doesn't matter about that.

I felt Jasper send calming waves to me and I nodded gratefully to him. "Well in that case, why don't Alice and I get you a shower and some new clothes? " The pretty blond lady - Rosalie - said to me. I nodded and followed Alice up their wooden staircase.

As we went out through the room Bella whispered to me as if we were in a conspiracy together, "Alice has been buying clothes none stop since she knew you would be coming." I giggled with her and then let Alice drag me to a bathroom.

The bathroom was about the size of a medium sized bedroom and the bathtub itself was as big as a ferry boat. Alice already had a bath running and was squeezing bubble foam into it. I looked around and saw Rosalie was gone! I poked my head or into the carpeted corridor and saw her coming back up to Alice and I carrying a huge soft towel.

"In you hop" Alice said to me and gestured to the bath tub.

I gestured to the door in hope that she and Rosalie would leave. It's not that I didn't love Alive and want to get to know Rosalie, it's just I was in no state to be seen. I was about to ask them to leave when Alice rolled her eyes and walked out of the door with Rosalie.

"Fine Tilda!" She said exasperatedly, "I saw what you were about to ask in the future." She giggled winking, " we will be in the room opposite, you have to come and see all your new clothes! " She and Rosalie clapped their hands excitedly and walked off, probably discussing what to make me wear.

I shut the door, firmly, and slipped of my tattered knitted jumper (a gift from Alice I found in our letter box in Canada this year) and peeled off my muddy jeans and sodden shoes. I hauled myself in the bath tub and the hot water soothed my aching back, arms and legs. I put my head under the water and watched with satisfaction as the water turned into a murky brown sludge colour as the grime fell off my body and hair.

I leaned out of the bath to pick up the towel from where I had placed it on the floor when suddenly the door opened and Alice dashed in. I quickly pulled my arm under the water and sunk down up to my chin.

"Sorry to bother you Tilda but I needed to see what shade of blue went with your hair better. " Alice held up several jumpers and sweatshirts. "I just sit up a bit please, " Alice said and concentrated on the shades. "A bit more please Tilda," Alice said and I begrudgingly shifted up a bit.

as I did so some of the bubbles cleared around my neck and Alice have a small gasp. "Matilda! Why didn't you say you had cut your neck?" Alice scolded me.

"Its not that big" I said lying hugely. The cut went down the left hand side of my neck and down my back and ended on my right hip. "Anyway," I mumbled when she gave me a disbelieving look. " It doesn't hurt anymore. " I hated myself for lying again, but I had no other choice.

She had picked a jumper now and gave me a pair of dark blue jeans, underwear and a soft light blueish gray jumper that was trimmed gold around the neck line. When she left, taking my old clothes with me, I put them on and wrapped a small hand towel around my shoulders all the jumper wouldn't get wet.

I remembered which room I was meant to go into and knocked on the door. "Come in!" Alice's sing song voice said. I pushed open the door and found myself in the most glorious room yet.

Two walls were a pale blue - gray colour but the far wall was white with blue and gold swirls on. The last wall faced out and over the wood with a floor to ceiling, wall to wall window. There was a white dressing table and chair against the white wall the chair also had a gold seat with complimented the swirls perfectly.

There was a king sized bed with a large white and gold canopy over it. It would have looked tacky anywhere else but in this perfect room of the Cullen abode.

"Woah!" I said when I had taken it all in. "Is it your room Rosalie?" I asked

" Nope! " she shook her head and giggled slightly.

"Alice?" I didn't really think so because when ever Alice and Jasper came to see me they would share a bedroom or area in the tent we used, and this didn't seem like the type of bedroom Jazz would have.

"No silly!" Alice said giving out a tinkling laugh. I looked confused so she said "it's your room Tilda!" I gasped for a minute then in a rush of words started thanking them both. "Thank you, thank you so much. It's all beautiful!"

" Well look at this it's even better! " Alice dragged me to the full length mirror whilst Rosalie began drying and brushing my hair.

"What?" I asked

"Wait a sec, " Alice pushed the middle or the mirror and it opened to revel a whole other room full of...clothes? "Ta-da!" Alice beamed and gave a flourish of her arms "your wardrobe, " She then proceeded to give me a full tour of it, where each colour item was, each style of clothes was kept but I zoned out.

"Sorry we couldn't hold her back." Rosalie said smiling. I laughed.

"we would go down now, I think Carlisle wants to talk to you Tilda. " Alice said and walked into the corridor, waving a hand for us follow. Rosalie had finished my hair now and I beamed at her and the relaxed hair half up half down style and put my hair in.

"Huh?" I asked " What have I done? " I quickly followed it by yawning accidentally.

"Nothing sleepy. He just wants to get to know you, especially what you've been up to this last few years, we all do." I murdered a noncommittal sound and hope they wouldn't ask me that.

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All the Cullens were sitting around a round oak table, Rosalie nipped in from behind me and took a seat between Carlisle and the big bloke, Emmet. Alice took a seat next to Bella and Esme,...so I had to sit next to Edward. What. A. Joy.

_Edward is so odd just sitting there and not saying anything to me, it's a bit creepy. _(**N.B the character whose POV it is in, their thoughts will be in _italics_****)**

He smirked slightly then went back to sitting stony faced and grumpy.

"So Tilda, " Carlisle said to me, "I hear that you are Jasper's niece." He left it as an open question I could tell, for me to interpret as I wished.

"Um, yes" I began "but I lived with the Mahontis tribe in the Amazon for a few years. They are all some form of hybrid vampire like me. " I had had to stop here because I gave a huge yawn.

"So I hear you've been travelling the world. " Esme asked.

"Yes I have."

" I hope you didn't get lonely " Esme asked again with kind eyes. _And must be a mother. She's is so-so-so someone's mother, or else she would a really good one I bet._

Next to me Edward nodded and I glanced up at him confused, meh! He probably just nodded to one of the others' questions, they all talk so quietly I can't here anyway!

"No I didn't get lonely but thank you for asking, ma'am, I met new friends along the way. And yes Ali, I did do some school stuff like I promised." I said laughing and rolled my eyes playfully .

I carried on answering questions thrown at me by the Cullens, however it became more and more punctuated with yawns and gradually I felt my eyelids grow heavy and my speech grow more and more slurred.

"Would you like to go to bed now?" Carlisle asked me. I nodded and started to rise from my chair slowly.

"Do you want someone to carry you up?" Esme asked me , worried I would fall asleep and hurt myself I guessed.

"No thank you, ma'am, I will be fine." I answered through a yawn. _I do not want anyone touching me again , I hurt like hell all over after...DON'T THINK ABOUT IT MATILDA - it will just make you sad._

I dragged my aching and weary body to the top of the stairs but just then I felt sleep take over. I did try to stop it. But then all went black.


	3. a fit or a fight

**A lot more action in this chapter and thank you very much ****aleja2231 for reviewing - I really appreciate it! If you view review and then PM me I can give you a shout out in the next chapter! **

**Enjoy**

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**Esme's POV:**

Matilda is clearly related to Jasper. She has the same gold - wheat coloured hair, although we couldn't tell that until she had washed her hair it was so grimy, she even stands like him, straight backed and is very polite. Her eyes are a deep grey-blue colour, but they are rimmed in gold, the animal-drinking vampire side of her, I assume. I have to admit, she scared as all a bit. How she just appeared from no where, I mean.

After she had a bath, she came down and we talked to her. I did notice though, my maternal instincts kicking in I guess, that whenever someone talked to her, particularly when they spoke loudly, she would immediately turn her head to them and a flash of something - worry, fear even - in her eyes.

"Well," Carlisle said optimistically when she left the room, "I think we made a good start on getting to know her."

" Yes, " agreed Jasper, "But she is hiding something I can tell, because there is an underlying fear and guilt in her emotions. But I don't know what it was."

We all turned and looked at Edward because it is normally him who finds out what people are hiding, via their thoughts of course. He seemed to be focusing on something not with us and didn't notice our inquisitive stares. Suddenly Edward flashed out of the room a few seconds later as heard a whisper drift down the stairs.

"Matilda was more tired than we thought." Edward called in a voice so low even us as vampires, had to listen hard. "I was listening into her thoughts and she just passed out on the stairs."

I made a move to come and settle her into her bed but then Edward came rushing back down. "I've just put her in her bed, there is something urgent I have to tell you all."

We all turned expectantly to him and listened carefully. "She doesn't seem to know I can read her mind," Edward began, " Because she isn't hiding anything and her mind is completely uncensored. From what I can gather, she seems to have been in some sort of fight or accident fairly recently because she thought to herself - very forcefully - not to think about what has happened in the last ten years or so and that she hurt all over. "

"Oh yes!" Alice had clearly just remembered something. "Whilst Tilda was in the bath, I saw a cut in the side of her neck. She said it didn't hurt but she is a terrible liar. "

I opened my mouth to say Carlisle ought to examine her cut when I was cut off by a huge scream followed by a loud crash and a splintering noise.

Edward followed by Jasper then Emmet then Carlisle and I flashed upstairs to see what was happening. We found Matilda rolling around on the floor screaming hysterically.

"No please! Not again...JASPER! ALICE! WHERE ARE YOU!" Matilda was flailing around on the wooden floor. I crouched by her and tried to hold her head from hitting the floor too much.

Jasper concentrated on her but then groaned exasperatedly after a few seconds. "She's blocking me accidentally," he explained, " I have no power to calm her down. "

"She seems to be in some sort of nightmare or insane flashback." Edward said with his eyes shut . "She's blindfolded and someone is screaming, I - I think it's her. Also there are other voices, and they're sort of familiar, but she isn't listening clearly enough for me to hear them properly"

Just then, her wails turned into unintelligible cries and streams of tears pored down her face. "Not that! Please, whoever you are...I ... Stop. ... NO...AHHH"

Then with a new burst of energy, she started her movements. Rolling and twisting - then...

I felt something hard connect with my chest and I was flying out of the window. I knew I wouldn't be hurt, with my tough vampire skin, but who pushed me out? I sat dazed for a few minutes and then jumped back up to the second story room that was Tilda's.

As soon as I landed on the window ledge I knew something has changed. The screams had stopped. The random crying words were gone. I entered the room and was shocked.

The painted wooden bed and frame lay in shattered splinters across the floor, the window was completely smashed in and the glass left over made a snow-like covering on the floor.

The worst bit though was Matilda. It had clearly taken both Emmet and Jasper to hold her down and they had had to press her down into the glass and splinter covered floor. Carlisle sat next to the the girl and was wrapping her arms in bandages whist Edward attempted to brush the bits of glass and wood away from her. Her jumped was ripped and dusty while her jeans now sported huge holes.

It turns out she has not stopped screaming, just her wails had lessened and turned into sobbing unintelligible whimpers. The oddest thing was that she was flashing in and out of visibility. She continuously went invisible and visible again as she breathed.

"What happened?" I gasped.

" I don't really know, " my husband said. "She suddenly got a burst of energy and because you were closest to her she just threw you out the window. Then she sort off went crazy and tried to run away, but her eyes were closed and she was still in the nightmare. "

"She suddenly became really strong and it took Jasper and I just to hold her down." Emmet told me. "But I think she is less riled up now because I had to thump her to knock her unconscious , or else worse could have happened"

"Sorry about your bed and your floor is probably dented." Jasper apologised and, with Emmet, stood up nervously in case Tilda was only pretending to be still. "It was impossible to calm her by her emotions."

"Her arms were every where," Carlisle said, pointing to the bandages. "I've plucked out the splintered and glass in her arms, but I have to do some stitches when she wakes up so know she won't move and I have to do her face next."

Suddenly, the small girls breathing stopped completely. She stopped whispering and whimpering. We all looked at her to see what the problem was. Then she just sat bolt upright.

"Errr... Hello?" She asked cautiously and confused, then as she looked around and at herself she launched into a full scale panic attack. "W - w - why what's going on? What has happened to my arms? What happened to my room? What happened to my clothes? I'm sorry I...I...shouldn't have come." She tried to get up and move away from us, as we were crowded in next to her. But Jasper concentrated on her and she sat back down. Calming waves I suppose.

"Its ok, Tilda." Carlisle said in his most calm talking-to-patients voice. "You just had a small nightmare."

" Nightmare? " Tilda said oddly. "I had no nightmare, I wasn't here, I was back at - " here and stopped suddenly and put a small hand over her mouth and face. "Oww!" She said pulling her hand back revealing the huge bruise made by Emmet and the floor. "Did some one hit me? "

Emmet raised a large hand. "That may have been me." She gave a _don't-worry-it's-not-that-bad _face and shrugged.

"So where were you in your dream?" Jasper asked cautiously .

"It wasn't a dream! How many time do I have to say it? " _clearly Tilda has a fiery temper_, next to me Edward smirked slightly. "It happened! I know it did"

"But you were here the whole time, weren't you?" Carlisle pressed.

"It was a flashback!" Tilda spat out with tears welling in her eyes and putting her hands over her ears as if to block out the flashback noise. When she put her arms up there was a slight tearing noise, so quiet only us vampires heard it. The noise of tearing scabs and thin skin. "Happy now you've made me say it?"

" One more thing, " Carlisle said carefully and being quieter, noticing the red spot that was growing on her bandages on her arm bandages. Jasper, Emmet, Edward and I had all stopped breathing, in case it made us thirsty. "When you were reliving your memory, Jasper and Em had to hold you down a bit and I have to to stitch up your arm. Will that be ok if you co-operate?"

"No." Tilda said firmly. "I don't want any doctory person poking around me."

"Carlisle is a good doctor, and he will stop when ever you want him to, I promise" I tried reasoning with her. Matilda shook her head and seemed to hold an internal monologue in her head.

"Ok." Tilda finally said and we sighed with relief seeing the red mark on her arm growing bigger with the blood loss. "I say stop now then." She said, and we all stared at her. "You said I can stop whenever I want to, and I choose now.''

"Matilda." Jasper said as firmly as he could without shouting in case that sparked a panic attack. "Please let Carlisle stitch it up, or else you won't feel too good."

" No no no no! "

"It won't hurt at all, Tilda, you can have sedatives or Jasper can put you to sleep" Edward joined in the argument.

"That's what they said before they - " Tilda said darkly before cutting off mid sentence.

"Who did what?" Edward asked .

"Lets not worry about that now, Edward" Carlisle said as he noticed the bandage was fully red with blood now and dripping. "We have to get those stitches on now!"

"Tilda? "Emmet leaned over to her and asked, subtlety as ever (not): "are you going to help us do the stitches, or not?"

"Please don't do it." Tilda's eyes leaked a single pearly tear and my unbeating heart almost shattered. She wobbled to her feet, dizzy from blood loss and tried to stagger to the window. "Please Jasper...I don't..." She whispered to her uncle who caught her, gently in his marble arms, before she passed out from losing about three pints of blood.

Right time to get those stitches in.


	4. A heart to heart

**Tilda's POV: **

It's been four days since I set up a self imposed quarantine in my new room.

It's been four days since my flashback to the years I was forced to spend at _that _place.

It's been four days since my arms were stitched up.

It's been four days since I was told that Edward can read minds.

It's been four days since Mister Carlisle almost took my jumper off to look at how far the cut on my neck went - thank the stars I woke up in time.

I chose my new room for a few reasons - it is small with thick windows and no furniture other than a mattress and an over stuffed chair. I picked the room so if I flipped out again, in another nightmare or flashback thingy, I won't destroy anything. The chair was brought in so I could be watched. In case I have a panic attack or do something weird, I suppose.

Right now I have Jasper with me and, don't get me wrong I love uncle Jazz in my own way, but he is the only one out of all the others who just sits and stares at me as if I'm going to up and run at any moment! It's an improvement, I guess, he used to just stand next to the door like some sort sentry or guard until Alice told him to sit down. I know it's perfectly comfortable for him to so, but it's very weird, knowing that he's just _there_.

Everyone else does some sort of task, or at least pretends to. Alice flicks through fashion catalogues and we talk about our favourites. With Rosalie she did my hair and I helped her choose a new car - the Cullens are richer than I could ever have imagined, because Rosalie just brought a car outright once we had picked one. A very lovely red Cadillac I must say!

With Emmet I will normally talk sport particularly American football - it sounds great but in all the videos I watch I never see girls my age (well around ten like I look anyway). With Bella I asked about Renesmee and, although I am forbidden from meeting her

With Edward I don't feel safe thinking and I usually just annoy him. For example I will think of every item of clothing that Alice has ever given me - sometimes this infuriates him so much that he has to go for a hunt and leaves me for a few hours.

Now I'm just sitting on my mattress and counting the swirls on this wall. Alice painted it exactly like my proper room because she wanted me to not feel sad and lonely. There is 22 blue-gray swirls and 24 gold ones.

No I'm bored, but more importantly I'm starving. I haven't eaten or drunk why thing in over two weeks. _Two whole weeks! _I mean that would kill a normal human but I can last about three weeks before I stop functioning properly, I've found out through experience.

So I came up with a clever plan. I thought about how thirsty and how much I needed to drink something, after about five or six minutes, it started working. I had to my thoughts to channel my emotions into feelings on thirst and hunger. Jasper looked up at me so I narrowed my eyes, daring him to refuse.

"Oh I get it!" He said standing up . "I'll go and get Edward or Emmet."

I looked at him and raised an eye brow as best I could, "Why?" I asked sarcastically.

"You know why." Was his swift response .

"Please Jazz!" I looked up at him and begged, " just the two of us, I promise not even to go invisible at all. "

He paused a moment, deliberating it. "Fine." He said and so I mimed a cheer. "I'll just tell Carlisle that we're off."

He ran down stairs and a few seconds later I heard Carlisle exclaim "How silly of me not to think out her! She must be starving!" He was obviously saying it very loudly so I could hear, but I still appreciated the gesture and thought of the idea.

I walked down the stairs and slipped out the back door that faces the woods, waiting silently for Jasper.

I heard a light thump next to me, and looked up to see Jasper next to me with a faint grin on his face. "I surprised you there, didn't I?" He said as we headed off towards the forest.

"Not even close!" I shot back, with a grin as we entered the cool shade under the trees.

We started running and soon I could smell the delicious, hot, soothing scent of human blood.

"Tills, Matilda!" Jasper sounded like he was underwater as I ran as fast as I could towards the ever-closer smell of human bleeding.

I took a deep breath and realised the human was was bleeding was less than a kilometre away. "Must...have...it!" I managed to choke out through my parched throat. I continued to run, faster than ever.

"Animals!" Jasper was still underwater. " We don't kill humans now, do we Matilda? "

" Don't care, so thirsty! " I spat out. Suddenly I wasn't running any more. I was falling, fast. I fell on to the hard,muddy, leafy ground, The breath was knocked out of me as I struggled to regain my senses.

I tried to push my self up, but was forced down again into the floor. I turned my head as much as I could, expecting to see a fallen tree or something of that sort on me. So I was surprised when I saw Jasper crouching over me with his hands firmly on my back. Although I am half vampire, I am powerless in strength against a full vampire. Especially Jasper, with his expertise with handling newborns and emotions.

"I guess you were quite thirsty." Jasper said with a ghost of a grin. "Normally I'm the one whose having to be held back from humans."

"Yeah, well would you mind getting of me? " I asked Jasper, whilst scowling at him "your kinda killing these clothes Alice gave me."

He stepped away cautiously and I stood up. The first thing I noticed was that the delicious smell was gone.

" Where's the -" I started.

"You think I'm that stupid?" Jasper looked at me with an eyebrow raised, "I put you to sleep, by calming you down and moved you. We're over fifty kilometres away from any humans now."

" It did smell really good though. " I mumbled feeling a bit ashamed of myself for lacking self control.

"Its fine, Cadet, I've made much worse mistakes before." Jasper said as he placed a hand on my shoulder, in his, and mine too since I inherited it from him, reserved but affectionate way.

I smiled gratefully at him and then concentrated on my thirst for blood.

"Take a deep breath," Jasper had obviously sensed my hunger and was coaching me through the hunting process, like he did all those years ago. "What can you sense around you? Leaves, trees, mud and -"

But I was running already, I could smell and hear the mountain lion as I approached it, it's muddy fur, heavy breathing and, of course, it's thick blood. I jumped, and was soon draining it completely. I sucked it out until I was just trying to suck air.

I heard a soft laugh from above me, and I scowled at Jasper who was sitting on a branch, watching me eat.

"Don't worry," Jasper chuckled, "There's more where that came from. "

* * *

Another mountain lion and three deer later, I was full. Jazz and I were sitting on the tallest tree in the forest, looking out over southern Canada.

"So do you trust the Cullens, like completely? " I asked after Jasper after he had filled me in on everything that had happened to him these last ten years or so.

"Tills, I _am _a Cullen, Alice is a Cullen. I would trust them with my life. " I leaned back in the crook of the tree I was in, a bit taken aback by how Jazz felt. I knew he's loved the Cullens, but I've never meet them before.

"On that serious note, "Jasper cleared his throat carefully. "You need to tell the us all about what's been going on recently, where you've been and, seriously Matilda, you have to tell us what the people you were with did to you. " Ahhhh so this is why Jasper agreed not to bring Emmet or Edward.

"I can't!" I shook my head slowly.

" Why not? " Jasper whisper-shouted, getting a bit exasperated, I could tell.

"I just can't, Jazz!" I shouted back. "Its to painful."

We sat in silence for a minute before Jasper next spoke. "Okay, you don't have to talk, but do you want me to show you Helena City?" I could tell he didn't want me to hate him. "I can even get you an ice cream?"

Typical Jasper, he knows the way to my heart is ice cream. "Fine. I would love to, but" here I gestured to my muddy and blood splattered clothes. "I don't exactly look even remotely normal."

Almost sheepishly, Jasper reached a hand into his pocket and drew out a long sleeved denim dress-shirt thing that could go over the leggings I was wearing. "Alice said I would be needing this."

I took them from him and gestured for him to jump to the ground. When he didn't leave I had to make it very obvious. "I'm going to get changed, Jazz, you going to leave me in peace or not? "

"Normally when you, Alice or I are getting changed, we just turn around, remember? " Jasper challenged. I did.

"Yeah...but...but...I'm older now" I said slowly, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

Jasper gave a disbelieving snort. "You're barely a year older, in human terms. "

I shook my head and tried not to let my emotions show the embarrassment and guilt I was feeling.

"Come on Matilda," Jasper said and moved next to me. "This isn't the Cadet I know, the Cadet I knew always talked to us if she knew it would help her or others. The Cadet I knew jumped at the chance of ice cream, or a game. The Cadet I knew would never put herself in solitary confinement, she jumped at the chance of meeting new people. Where's that Cadet gone?"

I was crying softly now, because what Jasper said, and I knew it was true. "What if that me has gone, disappeared?" I asked between sniffs.

"Tilda, look at me." Jasper faced my turned head.

"No! " I felt all was and ashamed of myself. "I'm all tainted and stupid." I cursed myself through tears.

"Tilda. " I felt Jasper take my chin and turn it so I was facing him. "Your not stupid, okay, but you've been through some hard times by the sound of it. You're still inside you, you just need the time to find it."

"You think so?" I whispered so low that a human would never have heard it.

"I know so " my uncle said with a smile tugging on his lips. "

" So if I talk to you and the rest of them, I don't ever have to talk about it again, unless I want to? " I asked.

"Yep." I hugged Jasper then, something I don't often do, since we are both reserved people and I always think he saves his hugs and stuff for Alice. He stood stiffly at first then allowed himself to wrap his long arms around my thin shoulders.

I took the dress-shirt from Jasper, turned around away from him and slipped my muddy hoodie off. I expected to hear something from Jasper when I did so, and I was not disappointed.

"W...W...What happened? " Jasper stuttered out. For someone normally incredibly calm, he seemed at a loss.

"It's not much." I said, lying through my teeth. I knew what it looked like, a spider web of red cuts and rips on my back, speckled with purple a nd blue bruises.

"How?" Jasper said as if it was an interrogation as I slipped in the shirt he packed for me.

"Like you said, I've been through some hard times in the last ten years. " I stated flatly.

"We have to get Carlisle to look at it. " Jasper said and ran a hand through he hair.

"No!" I practically shouted. He looked confused and frustrated at me.

" you said you would cooperate! "

I smiled, "you owe me an ice cream first."

* * *

**Edward's POV:**

I could hear their footsteps and Tilda's slow beating heart before I heard Jasper's thoughts, he was sitting at me internally.

_EDWARD! Gather everyone in the living room, Tilda is going to talk._

Boy I don't know what he's said to her, but it worked.

Time to get the troops ready.


	5. Tilda's story

**Thank you everyone for reading this far, I am really pleased to see how many people have read it. **

**Also, if you have even 30 seconds of spare time, please can you review this story. Whether you review and suggest an idea, are supportive or anything, I don't mind but please do review.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Jasper's POV:**

_EDWARD! Gather everyone in the living room, Tilda is going to talk! _I shouted in my head to Edward who I could see in an upstairs window as Matilda and I approached the house.

I was him nod slightly and then he was gone.

As Tilda and I walked slowly to the house I child feel her emotions becoming more and more agitated and anxious. I sent her calming waves and tried to sooth her emotions.

As we walked up to the porch, I felt a small,warm hand slip itself into my cold, marble one. I looked down in surprise and found Tilda gripping it as tightly as she could whilst grinding her teeth together in nervousness.

"Remember, Tills." I told her, as we walked into the house. "You have nothing to be afraid of in the Cullens."

" Okay. " this was whispered so quietly that even I had to strain my vampire ears to hear it.

"Hello, Tilda, Jasper" Carlisle said and nodded to me as we turned into the living room and saw the whole family seated on the sofas. Well the whole family except Renesmee, who was with Jacob in Forks as everyone was concerned at what Tilda could accidentally to the her if Tilda had a panic attack again. "I hear you would like to talk to us?"

Tilda's eyes shot from Carlisle to me to Edward in the space of a second. "Umm... Yes I would, I can tell you are all curious."

I took a seat on the sofa next to my Alice, who immediately relaxed into me, our arms intertwined and her head on my shoulder. Meanwhile Tilda curried up on the armchair furthest away from anyone. Wordlessly Edward chucked her a blanket and she nodded gratefully. Esme scooted to the end of her sofa, so she was as close to Tilda as possible, her mothering instincts kicking in again. To her dismay, I could tell from my adopted mothers dampened emotions, Tilda edged away from her, looking apprehensive.

The room was silent waiting for Tilda to talk.

The room was silent waiting for Tilda to tell us the cause of her cause of her suffering.

The room was silent waiting for Tilda to tell us where she has been this past decade or so.

Then she began to tell her story. I sent her soothing emotions every few minutes so she could stay calm and tell her story to the full.

"It was just a normal new years day ten or so years ago: I ran, through the northern Canadian forest, and it's hundreds of kilometres from any civilisation. I got to the clearing where I write to Alice and Jasper, so I became invisible and began writing a letter to them, nothing particular, just sending to meet in Northern Russia and we could go to Moscow together, because we can't too anywhere sunny, obviously.

I had just started my letter to them, when four people entered the clearing. I watched them for a moment to see who they are, now they couldn't see me of course because I was invisible. There was a small woman with light-ish hair and a dark robe on, with her was a similar sized man but with dark hair and a boy-ish face. Then the was a thin man with as old looking, dark suit on, finally came a large man with floppy dark hair. He was really big, as big as Emmet even! Bigger maybe! "

Here Emmet snorted in disbelief.

"Anyway. I watched them for a second then realised something. Then all had dark, crimson eyes - vampires. I shoved the letter under a rock and started to run across the clearing, as I did so, bits of conversation drifted too me. 'Now look what you've done!' I woman hissed set the man in the suit thing.'You've lost it, I thought you were the best tracker.' I think he was called something like Dominic, Demetrius...something along those lines anyway. I don't remember any of the names entirely, but the ones I'm going to use are similar.

The man tried to justify himself and it became clear they were taking about me. 'She just disappeared, no smell, heartbeat - anything'

'well now Ara won't be very please.' The young man said.

'Don't worry, brother Alex,' the girl said. 'I'll see if I can find her. I watched her over my shoulder as ran, entering the shelter of the trees. She was spinning in a circle saying something that I heard later. What she was saying I got well acquainted with later. She was saying one word. Pain.

I didn't know at the time what she was doing. But when her spinning was level with me, I suddenly hurt all over. I screamed and fell to the floor, it hurt so bad. So so bad. Because I was in pain, I couldn't hold my invisibility and the strange vamps were on me in a second, the woman gave a high laugh when I swore at her through my cries, but eventually she stopped whatever thing she was doing to me. I looked at my body and there wasn't a single cut, bruise or scratch on me -although it felt as if I had just been ripped in two.

The big man easily picked me up and punched me hard. The last thing I remember before I passed out, was the female vampire, whose name I later learnt was something along the lines of Jena, saying into a small phone, 'Caipus we've got her.'

I woke up, but I don't know how long later - it could have been one hour or several months for all I knew. I was on the stone tiled floor of a large, grand hall, with no windows or bright lights. On a stage in front of me, were three guys - clearly vamps - on thrones. In the middle was a guy with a ratty face, papery skin and long dark hair, one with dark curly-ish hair and a nervous face and the last one had bright, blond straight hair.

The middle guy was clearly the leader and said to me, 'we have heard odd things about you child, come here and we shall see if they are true.' I just shook my head and tried to run for the door, but the big guy - Felic, or something - jumped out the shadows and threw me backwards, so hard I hit the opposite wall and fell to the ground, coughing hard. 'If you become invisible it will be worse,' Felic muttered, he sounded scary, but I pretended that I didn't care.

The blond guy, Caipus laughed and congratulated Felic, so I gave him the evil eye look, which he ignored completely. 'let's try this again, should we, ' the middle guy, Ara I think, said to me, a bit firmer this time. 'Come here little girl and this time behave. ' I thought about how he spoke to me so I made myself look as if I was about five or six. I don't know if Alice and Jazz told you, but I can make myself look three or so years older or younger than, I really know why, but I just can. It only works if they person I'm doing it to doesn't properly know me much.

So I walked up to him like as if I were younger, hoping he would have some sympathy and would be nicer to me. God was I wrong in the end! He made me stand in front of him and he placed a hand on my forehead. 'Ahh.' He said, 'So you _are_ the girl we've been informed about.' He kept his hand on my head and was still. Someone informed these strange people of me, I thought, and who did, I wondered? 'I can't tell you who that was,' the man said, reading my thoughts or something. 'listen, everyone.' The vampire said excitedly. 'She knows Alice and Jasper. Ah dearest Alice.'

Weird, I know.

Then he said something, really quietly so I could barely hear him. Something about 'Keeping in case needed for blackmail.' So I tried to run but I could clearly see that Felic would get me if I did, so I became invisible and hid under the throne with the nervous looking vampire on - Matthew I believe.

'I will give you give seconds to get out from wherever you are, girl' Ara said. But I stayed silent and hidden.

'Five.' I curled up into a tighter ball.

'Four. ' I cursed him, knowing he couldn't hear he through my invisibility.

'three.' I wondered what he would do it he found me.

'Two. ' I looked around to see if Jena was in the room with me, but I couldn't see her anywhere. Phew!

'one.' I paused and waited.

'Let this be a lesson to you then.' Ara called, 'Jena darling,' and she came in through the thick wood and iron doors,

'Yes master? ' she simmered

'the girl is under Matthew's chair, you and the rest need to teach her her first lesson I think.' I instantly felt Jena's gift seize me and cried out in pain. I felt Felic grab me me by the back of my dungarees and haul me over his marble hard shoulder.

I gave Ara a confused look at which he laughed and said 'you thought about where you would hide, when I was reading your thoughts.'

I was taken to a small basement room, it had no windows or lights and no bed, table or anything other than an uneven cement floor. Cold puddles of stale water, presumably from a leak somewhere, had congregated in dips in the floor work.

It started as soon as we got there."

Here Tilda's voice cracked and a solitary tear rolled slowly down her pale cheek. Esme crouched next to her chair and put an arm around her thin, shaking shoulders. I could feel the compassion and sadness radiating off Esme and the sorrow and fear off Tilda, while the curiosity and wretchedness attacking me from my other family members around me.

I did my best to try to sooth her emotions, but it was hard to dampen so much fear. I could see and feel Edward struggling too, I can only imagine what horrors he was seeing.

"Felic threw me into the ground, and they ripped my clothes off me, laughing like some sort of mad, rabid hyenas." Tilda managed to resume her story, her voice thick with tears, however, no more tears spilt over. "They all started punching me, kicking me. I don't think it was with vampire strength, or else I wouldn't be here today. They left me bruised, cold and bleeding on the floor, with promises that they would come back often.

And come back often they did. Jena, Felic, Alex and Demetrius were regular visitors. Caipus also 'visited' me a bit. However Matthew never touched me and Ara would only summon me to the great ball room, to be punished if he was in a bad mood, or something. Each time they would hit me, kick me, starve me excetra. Sometimes I would be tied to a pole and whipped, and mostly I was blindfolded so I couldn't see where the punishments, as they called it, were coming from.

Their was one punishment I hated, more than anything else they ever did to me. Jena wouldn't do it, she would only use her terrible gift on me which was bad enough, but at least I understood afterwards what had happened to me - ish. The others might sometimes blindfold me and hurt me. I don't know what it was, but they would laugh and cackle. But it hurt. So. So. So. Much. "

Matilda had curled up into a little ball and was rocking backwards and forwards with her small hands hard over her ears, as if to block out the noise of this last punishment inflicted on her.

"You all promise not to ever do that to me? Don't you? Don't you?" Tilda spoke with a fast, torrent of words. Her rocking got faster, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her heart beats increased and she began to breathe in a ragged, uneven, quick way.

Edward and I both stood up, because it looked as if she was beginning to have a panic attack like the one where she threw Esme out the window. Carlisle heard us and motioned for us to sit back down. We did so reluctantly and we both leaned forwards, ready and able to react in an instant.

"Tilda, we promise, okay." Carlisle spoke in his calm doctor's voice. "Breathe slowly Matilda, can you do that for me? " Her breathing sort of returned to a gentle, rhythmic pattern, however her eyes remained tightly shut and her hands grasped her knees tightly. "Good girl, Tilda. Do you want to open your eyes now? " Carlisle said a bit firmer.

"No!" They girl said adamantly. "They're out there, in front out me. I can tell."

" There is no one out here but us, " Carlisle tried to persuade her. "You have nothing to worry about with us."

" Sure? " She timidly whispered.

"Sure. " Carlisle said gently.

"You sure-sure-sure?" She asked again.

" Completely sure. " Esme said and hugged her close, much to my surprise Tilda didn't even flinch at the touch. Slowly, very slowly, Tilda's eye lids unfurled and she quickly looked around, checking for her enemies.

"Thank you." She whisper softly, then seemed to remember why she was her with us all. "I suppose I would continue tale... So I stayed there, in that single room for years, I was never alone because a woman, sometimes a girl called Heidi or a girl called Renata, always stood watching me because I was required to keep one of my feet invisible at all times so Alice couldn't see me. Otherwise they -" Here she paused and took a deep breath.

Once, within the first month out being there, I made it visible but never again...I was thrown through a wall by Caipus and was barely alive.. I...I...I was only allowed to live because 'Ara needed me for black mail.'

I did not get any food or water for at least the first few weeks of me being taken there, so I was forced to suck to dirty water off the floor to survive. Finally I managed to raise my need for food to Ara and he gave me a huge can can of fresh (well at least I hope it was) water, and asked what I could eat, as a half and half hybrid. I said animals and human food.

The next day I woke up at the smell of fresh blood, fresh human blood. Are was staring over me, the first time he had entered my chamber since I came. He was holding a half dead human, he said to me as he threw the man next to me, 'This is your food, so drink him up. Quick then child , I'm interested in how you kill and eat.' Ara kept chivying me so..

I didn't want to, honestly, I hadn't killed a human for blood since Alice and Jazz taught me not to YEARS ago! But I had to, so I bit the poor man once and then watched as my poisoned, venomous saliva killed him. I did drink him after that but since then I pleaded for normal food or animal, a wish that was sometimes granted

I felt so bad after that, I'm sorry, I let all of you down, I know that I shouldn't have done it so I have let you all down you all down, because you all day animals only and I -I didn't. "

Tilda looked so broken and ashamed of herself that I felt really sorry for her, and said to her that we've all made worse mistakes and Esme whispered comforting words in her ear so she began to pull herself together to talk again.

"Then within the last two years, I had a whole week of no punishments, a whole WEEK! It was great! You see the only way I could tell the time of day, was when the two guard women swapped. Apparently there was some trouble out since sort in Washington state, but I don't know what happened, but it must have been bad for my captors, because they came back furious!

After that I started to be allowed to go onto yours with Heidi and Jena to ours school kids and tourists to become the vampires food because the lead vamps got all stressed and pressured about the 'accident in Washington' as they called it. I still feel ashamed of it, leading innocent humans to their deaths, but I had no choice! I was always watched like a hawk by Jena, once I tried to run, but she saw me and used her painful gift on me and when kind people tried to help me she just told them I had an epileptic fit and that was that.

I only managed to escape when I was required to lead a bunch of school kids into the scary people's tunnels in Heidi's care, but I pretended to be all meek and weak and Heidi took her eyes off me for a second, so I ran, ran and just kept in going until I got to an airport and hid on the first plane to the states.

Then after a while I managed to be here with you! "


	6. Promises

**ESME'S POV:**

I was silent after she finished, the harsh treatments the girl had gone through resonating with me because of my abusive husband, Charles, before I meet Carlisle. I hugged Tilda who was wrapped in a thin blanket and pulling her knees towards her shaking body.

Even though I had had my arm around her shoulders through out a lot of her story, she only just seemed to realise I was there and she jerked away from my touch.

"I suppose you must have some questions?" The girl asked cautiously. My darling husband, Carlisle, inclined his head gently and said:

"Thank you, do you happen know where you were held? Country, city of anything?"

"I'm not quite sure." Tilda said very uncertainly, "it was hot, Spain possibly? Although out could have been Greece or Italy too."

Everyone was silent for a moment, just considering the new information, then I heard Carlisle whisper, so quietly and without moving his mouth so Tilda didn't even know He said anything. "Edward! Did she think about the 'worst punishment' that they did to her? Because we need to know what situations she cannot, under any circumstances, get into."

" Unfortunately not. " Edward whispered back solemnly. "She just kept saying 'It won't happen again, it won't happen again,' on repeat."

"Carlisle, you have to examine her." Jasper joined the quiet conversation, "What she did not say was that she has a ripped up back and probably done broken ribs by the look of it. It takes Tilda longer than humans to mend as well, just like with aging."

" I'll see what I can do. " Carlisle whispered back, and the conversation was finished only a few seconds after it started.

Carlisle made as if to leave the room and then said, aloud and as if it was an after thought, "oh! And Tilda, you haven't got and cuts or broken bones of anything that you haven't told me about?"

"Errrm...no. No cuts, bruises or anything a doctor would need to look at. None what so ever. Nothing, nada, rien." Matilda lied badly and said flustered-ly.

Jasper fixed his niece with a pointed look. "Matilda," he reprimanded her in a firm voice , "Co-operation, remember?"

She scowled and tried again, "alright maybe just a cut or two, and a couple of bruises."

" Matilda, " Edward injected, "You just thought about your injuries and they are nothing like that."

"Why don't you broad cast them to the world then!" Tilda hissed at him furiously.

" Ooohhhh, burn! " Emmet laughed which lightened the atmosphere a bit.

"It's your tale to tell," Edward said simply and I could see that Tilda could sense the honestly behind his words.

"Uhh, fine!" She said ruefully. "I may have some bad marks on my back and my side hurts when I breathe. Happy now?" She spat out the last bit, with tears in her eyes, but they didn't spoil over, I can tell she hates admitting any weaknesses, even if they are not her fault.

"That sounds kinda nasty, Tills." Emmet said looking at her. The young girl shrugged which made her wince and have a coughing fit. I lagged her back and felt her ribs stand strong against her flesh.

"Can I have a look at your injuries, to help you feel better." Carlisle said.

"No." Tilda said simply.

"Come on Tilda it won't hurt!" Alice said to try and induce her to agreeing.

"Nope." Tilda docked back away from us.

"Remember last time you didn't want Carlisle helping you?" Jasper added.

"Yeah, but I was bleeding to death then." She shot back

" Who knows that you are not dying of internal bleeding? " Rosalie countered.

"I-I-I think I'm not?" She said getting a bit confused.

" You don't know though, do you? " Bella added.

"Ummm, true but-"

"You don't want the mean and nasty vampires to win, by making you constantly hurt, do you? We don't either so please let us help you, Carlisle has been a doctor for over three hundred years, trust me he's knows what he's doing. " I said, my eyes pleading with her.

"Okay then!" She sighed. "But in the morning, alright? I'm tired and want to sleep. "

We all looked outside to realise that we were sitting in the dark, our vampires eyes meant that we could see perfectly well without any lights on. The sun had gone and the moon was shining.

"Good idea!" Carlisle said cheerfully.

Tilda stumbled to her feet, "couple someone come with me please, I'm so tired that I fell that I could fall asleep on the way up."

Rosalie stood up and they walked out, Tilda yawning and Rosalie smiling at her. I also smiled contentedly, that Tilda is beginning to trust us enough to ask for help.

Once they were pit of ear shot, things got serious.

"They interfered with Bella and Edward, they interfered with Renesmee and now they have completely messed with Tills. " Jasper said bitterly.

"To think that I was actually in the same building as her only three or so years ago." Bella said fiercely .

Have I missing something? Oh, wait - Ara, Jena, Alex, Felic and Caipus. Names that sound very much like Aro, Jane, Alec, Felix and Caius. Surely they are not very common names. The hot place she was held Spain or _Italy__! _leading humans to their deaths with Heidi?

Oh no, that can only one thing:

"The Volturi!" I whispered in horror of Carlisle.

"Yes my love," he said back and he missed the top of my head and we embraced.

I could see everyone beginning to understand who had taken Tilda all those years ago, when:

"We have to work out who this Ara man is! " Emmet burst out.

"No idiot, we know their real identities." Jasper called back

" I've never met anyone called Ara, and never even heard of some one who is as big as me. " Emmet countered.

"No stupid, it's the Volturi! " Edward laughed.

"Well why didn't you just_ say _so! " Emmet said, walking out.

Edward and Jasper laughed and shook their heads. As I walked outside with my husband I thought about how much I loved my sons childish bickering.

* * *

**ROSALIE'S POV:**

As we walked up the stairs I heard Tilda's quiet voice ask, "can I sleep in my proper room now please?"

"Of course, Tills," I said as we entered the room.

I rummaged around and found some sweat trousers and a long sleeved pajama top.

"Thanks" she mumbled through her sleepiness and changed into it in the walk in wardrobe.

After a few minutes she still hadn't come out again, "Tilda?" I called softly. But I got no answer. "Matilda I'm going to come in." Woo I walked in and found the small pre-teen girl asleep at the dressing table.

I carried her out accolades her under the covers. Sitting on the edge of her bed, I switched the bed side table light out and stood up to let her sleep in peace.

"Wait!" A small cold hand gripped my arm. " Please lie with me? Just for a minute? " she asked hopefully.

"Okay, but let me wrap you in your duvet so you don't get come because of me." I lay down next to her and tucked her in snuggly.

After a few minutes I heard her breathing even out so I knew she was sleeping, and I started to leave so as not to give her a chill.

"Rosie!" I heard her call me by a nickname, " where have you gone, it's so dark here. " her voice turned into a soft whimper at the end which almost broke my heart so I went back to her.

"Right here, sweet," I said getting back into bed.

"Good!" She pulled the blanket over its both. "Promise you won't leave until I wake up?" She pleaded .

"Only out you tell me why you seem to be afraid of the dark, Alice told me you loved going exploring art night? " I countered.

"Firstly I love outdoor dark, but not confined indoor dark." She said quietly. "and I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm afraid of what's in it. "

"I promise I won't leave you, and I promise there's nothing to hurt you here." I tried to pacify her, but I don't think she heard the last bit, because she was dead asleep in my arms.


	7. Broken bones, broken hearts

**NOTE: A few of you readers said that it it's impossible for Tilda to have been born, so my logic for why she_ was _born has been add at the end of Chapter One.**

**Please review it possible, it's really appreciated!**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**TILDA'S POV:**

"Tilda, Tilda." I could feel someone shaking my arm and could hear my name being called by a gentle woman's voice, but it sounded miles away. "You need to get up, remember promising to let Carlisle look at your injuries?"

" Go 'way, I'm asleep" I mumbled, my voice heaving with fatigue.

"You need to get up little one," a calm man's voice was now saying. " or I can examine you here and now if you want? "

"No!" I said as firmly as a ten year old, half asleep girl can, "I'm gonna get up now. And don't call me little."

" Good girl. " the voice said, moving away from my face.

"Now, as in in a couple of hours time." I muttered, drifting back to sleep.

Suddenly I felt my sanctuary of the plump and warm duvet being ripped off, and a different and incredibly happy voice yell at me, "Get up, Get up!" I felt myself begin to slide to my left.

" Huh? " I opened my eyes and saw Emmet lifting the right side of my mattress up. How did he look so cheerful at seven in the morning, vampire or not?

"Emmet, you better not break anything!" I hear Esme's voice call from downstairs.

"Sorry momma." He said replacing it, readying himself to chuck me into my dressing room, come wardrobe. Someone must have said something too quietly for me to hear, because Emmet replaced me on the floor, instead of throwing me, and told me Carlisle was almost ready.

I stumbled in semi sleep through the rails of clothes before picking the baggy tee shirt, red hoodie and dark blue jeans.

I looked slyly around the corridor, it was empty. So I silently shut the door and was about to again enter the warmth of my bed, when Alice popped through the window.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." She laughed, then went serious, "Matilda, you need your injuries looked at. You _know_ that you need your injuries looked at." At with that she left me.

Some what begrudgingly, I trudged downstairs to where the Cullens were sat in the kitchen, a bit of a surprising choice of room, for a family that can't eat.

"Good morning Tilda!" Esme beamed, "do you want something to eat? "

"No thanks." I said, the thought of eating just before seeing the doctor did not appeal to me in the slightest. "Can we get this over and done with, please?"

" Sure, " Carlisle said as he stood up. "My study is on the second floor." I followed him up, trying to mentally prepare myself for this.

Inside the study it was large and spacious, and, like the rest of the house, it was tasteful. However this clearly had Carlisle's touch of decor and style. The dark grey walls had some old looking oil paintings mounted in good quality gold frames on one wall; while on the other was a large floor to ceiling, wall to wall bookshelf, filled with old leather tomes and some more modern paper back books. In one corner, a leather cushioned wooden framed chair was set behind a matching dark wood desk. On the desk a collection files and a medical journal took centre stage; whilst in the middle of the room a thick pile rug and deep, soft looking leather sofa sat.

Walking over to the empty third wall, Carlisle flicked a hidden catch and a section of the wall pulled down to reveal a hidden hospital style bed.

"I'm not a huge fan of doctors," I said to Carlisle, "but that, that is cool."

Carlisle laughed pleasantly, "I did have several special modifications added when we built this house."

I could see Esme and Rosalie preparing something by the desk, so I knew that it was about to start. "Where would you like me?" I asked.

" On the bed please. " Carlisle says, turning into doctor Cullen as he pulled on a white doctors coat and grabbed a bag of instruments. "If you could take your hoody and top off."

" My hoodie and my to-" I hesitated, realising that I actually didn't want them to see me.

"Yes, Tilda" Carlisle clarified, a bit firmer.

"But-"

"No buts, Matilda." Edward said from the doorway. _Ugh! You're as fussy as Jazz! _I thought back.

Edward gave a slight chuckle.

"Fine." I mumbled , as I got under the sheet on the bed and took my hoodie and tee shirt off, as requested. "Done."

I lay on my front, with only the thin white sheet covering my back and neck.

"Lets have a look shall we." Carlisle said, slightly nervously and he pulled the sheet away. I hissed and winced quietly as the cold air touched my tender skin.

"Oh my god!" Esme gasped from next to the bed.

"I'll get the cleaning solution." Rosalie called from the far side of the room and immediately Carlisle was in doctor mode, discussing words I had never heard of and preparing solutions and swirling mixtures.

"I think I have to leave," Jasper said faintly and apologetically, "the blood is in the open now, you see. Although it's venom tinted, it still smells appealing" Emmet nodded furiously and so soon Em, Jazz and Alice were gone.

"Tilda, when did you get the last of these?" Carlisle was asking professionally and properly.

"I don't know exactly, maybe two or so weeks ago, the latest ones anyway." I said thoughtfully .

"Do you know what implement gave the cuts to you? " Was his next question.

"Umm..." I was suddenly filled with flashbacks , memories I wished that I did not have. I couldn't hear Carlisle or the bustle of the others making their medicines, I was back in the chambers, blindfolded, knowing that _they_ had come to hurt me again.

I put my hands over my ears, to try and block out the noise of their cat calls, jeers, the clang of the knife . "Stop it!" I yelled at them, and tried to become invisible, but only managing to flashing in and out of visibility.

"Tilda, Tills?" Someone said to me, a gentle man's voice.

"No." I said stoutly.

"It's me, Carlisle Cullen." The voice said, "You are in the Cullen house, I'm helping you get better. But you don't have to answer the question if it's to hard to think about." His voice pulled me back to the present. I realised where I was and gave myself a firm talking to:

_You aren't back there Cadet! Pull yourself together, stop panicking and make sure that you do NOT cry - they'll think you're such a wimp. _

I took a few deep breaths and snapped my eyes open, "a knife mainly, butwhatever they could find." I said softly.

"Pardon?" Carlisle asked, confused probably of my sudden calmness and words.

"Your question. About what gave my the cuts. " I explained, "I got them from the Volturi, who you explained to me. They had knives and the broken glass and smashed walls bruised and cut me. "

"You have been incredibly brave, sweetie." Esme says to me while Carlisle thought deeply. I smiled back, a bit unsure of what I was meant to say.

"I will have to bandage the worst cuts, and I have a lotion to help bring the swelling and bruising down. But didn't you say something about your side, or was it breathing? "

"Umm...Yes..."I said hesitantly. I had thought about lying, passing it off as nothing but with Edward peering into all my thoughts, and Jasper sensing when I am lying or not, I don't think it would work. "My side aches when I breathe hard and my shoulder _really really_ hurts constantly. "

"Okay..." Carlisle murmured as he entered the 'doctor's zone' and thought about what to do with me. "If you could sit up please, I can look at your ribs, there's a probability that they are fractured or broken."

I sat up, wincing as I put weight on my left shoulder.

"Your breathing isn't laboured, which means there is no broken rib digging into your lung luckily, however I can see a slight indentation on your left side so I will have to see if they are broken. " Carlisle was inn full doctor mode and I only roughly got the gist of what he was saying.

He began to feel my ribcage and then bandaged that, as it was fractured apparently (what ever that means), and he dressed my back with a cool-feeling lotion and bandages.

"Now, about your shoulder, " Carlisle said, looking me directly in the eyes. "I've been listening to it and it was clearly broken badly, smashed if you like. Anyway the bones in the shoulder and upper arm area have already fused together - -"

" Well that's convenient, isn't it. " I said cheerfully over Esme's sigh, Edward's hiss of annoyance and Rosalie's frustrated mutter that arose at Carlisle's words, and I started to put my top on again.

Carlisle gave Rosalie a concerned look and she quickly left the room. Esme sat next to me and took my smaller hand in her cold one.

" What is it? " I asked and pulled away from Esme, starting to get up. " I thought when things heal they feel better and painless. Why doesn't it now?" However no one answered and Esme put a hand on my shoulder, whether to calm or restrain I was unsure.

"I've got your bag." Rosalie said coming back into the room, followed by Jasper.

"What's going on? Why do you need your bag?" I asked and my voice rose in panic.

"Well...," Carlisle nodded at Jasper who started to concentrate on me. I suddenly felt myself beginning to feel relaxed and sleepy.

"Cut the calming crap!" I yelled at Jasper, I needed to know the truth _n__ow. _I felt the sleepy mist go and I focused back on Carlisle.

"So, Tilda, although your bones have fused, it does not mean they have healed correctly. " Carlisle explained, "Broken bones _must be_ set right before the healing process begins, or else the bones will fuse incorrectly."

" But...no one was there to set my shoulder for me. " I tried to understand.

"Tilda , I need to inject your good arm, to make your other hurt less, could you turn to face me?" Carlisle was saying, and I turned to find him holding a huge needle.

"Will it go into the hybrid skin? " Edward asked in a low voice to Carlisle. But I still heard.

"I hope it does," Carlisle muttered in return, "it will be easier for everyone if it does. "

I could feel Jasper's calming gift working on me, but this time I didn't fight it. I tried to hold still but it didn't go in to my arm immediately and it couldn't break the skin. "Stop it." I whispered , "Stop it." I said loudler, because I could feel it, and it felt to me like the knife back in Italy. "STOP IT!" I yelled as the bad memories began to flood back.

"Okay I'll stop, but for the next bit you will have to be very brave." Carlisle said sighing

"I'll help you with the next bit," Edward said and Carlisle nodded gratefully.

"Jasper," Carlisle was not addressing me or Edward anymore and Esme left saying she couldn't stay here any longer. "Jasper, your gift is stronger through contact, correct?" Here Jasper nodded although Carlisle seemed to already know the answer. "Well I'll need you to do more than that, if you get my meaning. "

"What's -" I started to ask but Jasper jumping on to the bed next to me and Carlisle cutting bandages and lining up various medical supplies was more important and interesting to watch.

"Ready." Carlisle said grimly and placed me on Jasper's lap. I could not figure out what he was doing. My bones had already fused and set wrong, what more could he do? It's not as if he could go back in things to set them properly. Then in realized what he was going to do...

"No!" I started to leap off Jazz's lap, but before I could even jump into the air, Jasper's marble hard, strong arms had me and pulled me back. He wrapped his legs through mine and pinned my good arm down to my side by wrapping his arms around my waist and trapping my right hand in the hold. He whispered words of comfort, like he did when I was a mini person and fell off something or out out a tree.

Whilst Jasper did a strange mix of comfort and restraining me, Edward gently held my left wrist to stop me flailing around and damaging my shoulder any more.

"Don't squash her ribs." Carlisle warned Jasper as he and Edward prepared themselves.

I cursed Jasper for trapping me, I thrashed around, and screamed blue murder until Jasper's calming gift set in slowly. I fought against it and ignored his kind words. When the calmness did start to work, everything seemed to be under a blanket of fog.

I watched in a foggy horror, but unable to do anything, as Edward swapped from holding my arm to my upper chest, preparing for the next procedure. Carlisle grasped my shoulder and upper arm, and I saw and felt the bones in my shoulder be broken then set again in the direct position.

I don't remember what happened next, except Jasper's gift and the steady throb of pain taking me down to sleep.


	8. Surprise

**TILDA'S POV:**

I woke up slowly, aching around my ribs and shoulder, but the pain had lessened. I opened an eye, then both eyes when I realised it was pitch black and I was alone.

I fumbled around randomly next to my bed for the light switch, "Where is the goddamn light switch!" I muttered angrily under my breath. I cursed again when I managed to knock my alarm clock off my bed side table.

Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light and the lights were on. "The light switch, ma'am." Jasper stood in the jet black doorway, the light switch at the end of his pointed finger.

"Thanks Jazz." I sighed and sunk back down in to the pillows. I frowned and Jasper came in to the room, probably sensing my change in mood, he pulled the door shut behind him and sat on the edge of my bed.

"I'm sorry about pushing and hitting you yesterday, Jazz, and you know I didn't mean anything that I said, right?" I asked, I felt really bad about it.

" No need to apologise Cadet, " Jasper said with the shadow of a smile, "I know you didn't mean it, and you did stay visible for the whole thing. But, you do know enough curses to stun be few people!" Jasper finished with a sort laugh.

"Well I learnt from the best," I said laughing and giving Jasper a pointed look. " But I am sorry for it, okay, I sorta flipped out when I realised what you were going to do and I wasn't the easiest or politest to restrain, I'm sure. "

"Apology accepted, ma'am." Jasper said before he worked to the door.

"And Jazz?" He stopped, half way out the door. "I'll get changed and be down in a sec, alright?" He nodded and I heard the door softly click behind him.

After I got changed, into jeans and a light jumper that wouldn't damage my broken ribs and shoulder any more, I headed down to see the Cullens.

"How are you feeling honey?'' Esme asked as soon as she saw me enter the sitting room they were in.

" A lot better, thank you. " I said, and then I turned to Carlisle apologetically. "Thank you for fixing me up, I'm sorry I want the best patient ever. You know, if all doctors were as nice as you though, no one would ever eat apples."

He laughed his gentle laugh and then said, "it was my pleasure, Tilda, just don't be too vicious on the bandages, alright?"

"I won't, doc." I said laughing, then asked, " Do you happen to know where Edward is?" You see, I felt like I needed to thank him for helping on my shoulder.

"Oh yes!" Alice suddenly said, "He told me he wanted to talk to you outside." I have Jasper a worried face, that didn't sound good!

"Okay Alice, thanks." I said turning to go. "Also just wondering, where are Bella and Rosalie?" I had notice their absence and I was curious.

"They will be back later in the morning," Esme said with an excited smile, "they have a surprise." I gave a smile and left to find Edward, I was still unsure of what to say when people were so nice to me after ten years of hardship.

* * *

"Edward? Edward?" I called again. I had been walking around the clearing and woods surrounding the Cullen house for at least half an hour now, but still couldn't find him. He was probably just winding made up. I groaned and turned to head back inside.

"Giving up that quickly?" I heard Edward's vice drift down to me. Looking up I saw him gripping the trunk of a tree like a spider monkey.

"You didn't want to make life easy for me, did you? " I said rolling my eyes as I climbed up after him, it was hard using only half of my body and Edward had to pull my up most of the way. "Thanks for fixing my arm and stuff, I know I wasn't very polite to anyone once I worked out what you are going to do to me. " I said when I reached the branch Edward was sitting on.

"That's true, but it was nothing I hadn't heard before, so don't worry." He then grew silent and I knew he had something more to say to me.

"What is it?" I asked warily.

"Well, you know when Carlisle asked you what implement gave you your cuts," Edward began.

"Yeah, I think I can remember" I said slightly sarcastically.

"Okay, so anyway, after he asked you that, you began to have some flashbacks about-" Edward said before I cut in.

"I remember perfectly well what they were about." I snapped.

" Yes, then you told yourself not to cry, that we would think you are a wimp if you did. " Edward stated

"I didn't think you had heard that." I muttered angrily .

"Well I did. " Edward did and then said a bit softer, "I just wanted to tell you that no one would think you weak if you cried or asked for help, alright. "

"Okay, thanks," I said very awkwardly and jumped off the tree. Starting to walk back to the house, I turned and called to Edward who was watching the road, "Esme said Bella and Rosalie have gone to get a surprise. You don't happen to know what that is, do you?"

Edward laughed and smiled, "It is the best surprise possible."

" Hmmm, " I thought to myself, still musing, as I sat next to Emmet on the sofa.

"Somethings up, Squirt." Emmet said with his arms crossed over his muscular chest. I followed his gaze and saw Esme and and Alice huddled in a deep, whispered conversation outside.

"I know right!" I said back, ignoring the nickname, I knew Emmet well enough to know that it was his way of being nice and friendly. "I thought you would know, everyone but me seems to."

Here Emmet gave a snort of disgust, "According to Alice, I'm not good at keeping secrets."

" Well then, " I said mischievously, "Why don't we try and find out."

Emmet looked at me cheekily, "I thought you would never ask. So what's the plan? "

Ten minutes later, Alive had us standing in front of her as she admonished us firmly. "I told you it was a _surprise, _Matilda! You were NOT meant to go snooping invisibly with Emmet. Besides, didn't you think I would notice your future just vanish? "

"I was curious!" I said helplessly as the furious small lady turned to Emmet.

"And you!" She said loudly, "you knew that you weren't meant to know. What happened last time you were told to keep a secret? "

Emmet tried to recent himself but Alice was having none of it, I suppose it would have looked funny, huge Emmet being scolded by the much smaller Alice.

We walked off sulking, Emmet muttering about 'how unfair everyone was.'

"You up for a game?" Emmet asked me as we sulked into the house.

"Sure," I said nodding_._ "Lets play ping pong."

"Huh" Emmet said, looking confused.

"You know, ping pong?" I said slowly. " Balls, bats, a table with a net on? "

"Ohh!" Emmet said , finally understanding. "You mean _table tennis!"_

"no it's called ping pong. " I corrected him.

"Table tennis."

" Ping pong. "

"Table tennis!"

" Ping pong! "

"Table tennis!"

" Fine! " I said laughing. "Whatever you want to call it, in gonna beat you so good in it! "

"Good luck with that, Squirt." Emmet laughed, " you're gonna need it! "

* * *

One hour later I let out a cheerful yell, "and I win again!"

Emmet hurled the ball into the floor, leaving a tiny dent. "I just let you win."

" Oh yeah? " I asked laughing teasingly, "so you just let me win all three games then?"

"Ugh!" Emmet threw the ball at vampire strength at the door...just as it opened.

"Woah!" Jasper reached his hand out and grabbed the plastic hall just as it was a few inches away from his face. "If that had hit the wall, Esme would have killed you."

I laughed slightly they chucked a bat at Jazz. " I'll play you Jazz, then I can beat you too!"

"I would love to play you Cadet, except even you know that I would beat you instead. " Here Jasper sighed, "however, I believe that Esme needs you."

" Oh. What for" I asked, confused. _I thought the interrogation had finished?_

"It's not a bad thing. " Jasper said quickly, probably sensing my mood suddenly change. "In fact it's the surprise you were told about. "

I immediately dropped the bat and rushed out, yelling over my shoulder a quick "back soon, maybe later. I don't know."

"Ahh! " Esme said looking up from her magazine as I rushed down the stairs."Did Jasper tell you I was ready?

I nodded, not entirely trusting my words as I was too excited, it had been years since the last time I had been given a surprise.

"Good! Follow me," Esme called as she walked out towards the garden. "So the surprise is-"

" MATI! " I heard a loud, high voice yelled at me as a blur of purple launched itself at me. I felt two small, fiery hands grasp my face and immediately images of Edward, Bella and a girl perched on Edward's shoulder. In my head I could hear a strange voice tell me, _"I'm Renesmee, your cousin."_

"Renesmee!" The image stopped and I watched as a chuckling Edward walked towards us. "Ness, I told you not to introduce yourself like that. "

"Sorry Daddy, but Mati doesn't mind it. " Renesmee said innocently.

I cleared my head and finally had a chance to look at the girl who must be Renesmee, Edward and Bella's daughter. She had pale, faintly glowing skin, like backlit alabaster, similar to mine. Her curly, brown, silky hair tumbled shown her shoulders and made her eyes look large and happy.

"You don't mind me calling you Mati, do you? "Renesmee asked," they said you were called Matilda. "

"I don't mind at all." I clarified . She then started to raise her hands to my face and, with a quick, questioning glance at her father, the twin infernos were once more pressed to my face.

I was ready this time and watched as Edward explained my story to his daughter, I watched Renesmee with her family and her bouncing excitedly on a plane and finally Bella, Rosalie and Renesmee in a car on their way back here.

After she finished showing me about herself, she said in an excited rush of words: "Would you like to play me, and my dolls? My favourite three are Gracie, Bea and Amber...I know! " She suddenly exclaimed, "you can look after Amber and we can play in my play house. "

"I would love to play with your dolls and you, Renesmee! " I said which made her smile. "But where's the house?" I asked.

" Follow me, " she said, taking off. I followed her, and we rounded a corner and I was the biggest play house I have ever seen.

It was made it wood and stone, and had two storeys. I had an about six or so feet high ceiling and it had cute little windows and shutters. All in all it looked like a mini cottage. "It's huge!" I gasped.

" I know. " Esme said, suddenly next to me laughing. "Renesmee's uncles, Emmet and Jasper when a bit over the top when she asked for a play house. "

"Typical!" I Laughed as Renesmee pulled me off to play with her.

I had a very good afternoon with my little cousin and I actually felt like a child for once. I found that even after what everyone was telling me, she was really just an eight year old girl. Not the mini adult she seemed from what I had been this about her.

As we were leaving to go indoors for Renesmee's bedtime she said to me, "Thank you for playing with me, Mati. Normally there's never anyone even _remotely _young around here, 'cept sometimes Seth" she said through a yawn as ran off to Bella's waiting arms.

I walked off to the living room and wondered: _Who's Seth?_

* * *

**I'm just wondering, does anyone actually want me to continue this story? And is anyone still following it? Please comment of you want me to update!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter**


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